In order to protect an electronic component such as a semiconductor device from the influence of surrounding environment, the electronic component is hermetically enclosed in a container for housing an electronic component. In recent years, for example, as more than one electronic component are stored inside a container, and as the packing density of electronic components has been increased, the number of electric signals to be inputted/outputted between a container and electronic components is increasing. In consequence, line conductors for input/output signals of a container for housing an electronic component tend to grow in number. An example of such a conventional container for housing an electronic component (hereafter also referred to simply as “container”) is shown in FIG. 5 (refer to Patent Literature 1, for instance).
The conventional container comprises: a metal-made bottom plate 101 having a substantially rectangular plate form; a side wall 102 joined to an upper surface of the bottom plate 101 so as to surround a central region of the bottom plate 101; and an input-output terminal 103 joined to the side wall 102. The side wall 102 is obtained by joining a front frame portion 102b and a side wall portion 102d together. The front frame portion 102b is provided with an insertion hole 102c to permit insertion of a connector of an optical fiber. The side frame portion 102d is U-shaped, which is disposed along three sides of the bottom plate 101 (except for the front frame portion 102b). The side frame portion 102b is formed so as to be lower in height than the front frame portion 102b. The input-output terminal 103, which is also U-shaped, is joined to the upper end face of the side frame portion 102d via a brazing material.
The input-output terminal 103 is made of ceramics. A metallized wiring 104 is formed on a ceramics-made shelf-like portion 103a protruding inside and outside of the container. A lead terminal 105 is joined to the metallized wiring 104 located outside the container, and, the lead terminal 105 is connected to an external circuit.
Moreover, in the input-output terminal 103 located inside the container, the metallized wiring 104 formed on the upper surface of the shelf-like portion 103a is connected with an electronic component or a terminal of a substrate by means of a bonding wire or otherwise. The metallized wiring 104 and the lead terminal 105 provide electrical connection between the electronic component placed inside the container and the external circuit.